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HomeMy WebLinkAboutJanuary Minutes                   Meeting  Minutes     Monday,  January  9,  2017   7:00pm   City  Hall   South  Wing,  Second  Floor  Conference  Room     A. Call  to  Order:  7:01pm   B. Roll  Call:  Commissioners  Rehberg,  Hulin,  Miceli,  Erlandson,  Richmond,  Fox,  Thomas  present.     Councilwoman  Powell  present.    Chairman  Vassallo  present.    Student  Representative  Kaye  present.     Staff  Harris  present.     C. Citizen’s  Forum:     a. Liz  Marsden,  Elgin  History  Museum:   i. Artwork  Database  Management  proposal.       b. BFH.org,  Final  Report:   i. Cynthia  Hernandez  presenting.    2016  was  their  organization’s  20th  anniversary.    789  paid   attendance,  plus  additional  comps,  which  was  a  record  attendance.    Great  media   coverage  overall.    They  did  2  show  for  the  year.    About  65  students  and  15  alumni   participated  in  the  show,  Beyond  the  Dance.    Brought  in  musicians  from  Mexico  to   perform  with  the  children  as  well  as  the  adults.       D. Staff  Report:     a. Financial  Report:   i. 2017:     1. Commissioner  Erlandson  motion  to  move  $2,000  from  the  Misc  category  to  Art   Harvest,  seconded  by  Rehberg.    Approved  by  a  vote  of  8-­‐0.       b. Art  Showcase:  Renters  for  2017  are  moving  in.    Repairs  are  being  made  to  the  ceiling  in   between  renters.       c. Hemmens:  Moved  to  next  meeting.     d. Approval  of  December  Minutes:   i. Motion  to  approve  the  minutes  made  by  Commissioner  Rehberg.  Seconded  by   Commissioner  Hulin.  Approved  by  a  vote  of  7-­‐0-­‐2  with  Councilwoman  Powell  and   Commissioner  Thomas  abstaining.       E. Old  Business     a. Marketing  Sub-­‐Committee:     i. BRAVO-­‐  Staff  Harris  making  assignments  of  the  CAC  events  to  the  Commissioners  for   articles  and  images  each  month.       b. 2016  CAC  Projects:   i. Elgin  Literary  Festival:   1. The  program  is  out  in  the  January  issue  of  BRAVO.     2. The  event  will  be  coming  to  the  Hemmens  January  27-­‐28  and  is  free  and  open  to   the  public.       ii. African  American  History  Month:   1. This  event  has  been  adjusted  to  be  Black  Music  Month  in  June  2017,  perhaps  at   the  Elgin  Art  Showcase.           2. Ideally  this  dance  troupe  and  a  visual  art  exhibit.       iii. Elgin  Fringe  Festival:   1. Applications  go  live  March  1,  2017.    All  applications  are  first-­‐come-­‐first-­‐served.       c. Public  Art  Plan:   i. Imagine  Art  Here  marketing  campaign:     1. The  art  has  been  sent  in  by  local  artists  and  is  being  put  together  for  the   banners.    Local  business  support  and  approval  is  being  gathered.       ii. Next  public  forum:     1. Will  be  held  on  February  23,  2017  at  The  Centre  of  Elgin,  in  the  ballroom.     2. Possible  questions  to  pose  to  the  attendees:   a. Where  do  you  want  to  see  public  art?     b. What  type  of  art  do  you  want  to  see?     iii. General  update:     1. Preparing  for  the  Community  Forum   d. Organizational  Grants:   i. Feedback  for  organizations:  While  not  all  criteria  are  required,  not  enough  of  them  are   hit,  or  hit  hard  enough  to  meet  the  standards  of  grant  approval.       1. Elgin  Theatre  Company:     a. Overall,  there  was  a  lack  of  innovation  on  this  particular  project  as  it  is  a   great,  but  old  play.    The  application  discussed  that  the  play  itself  was   innovative  as  is,  but  is  not.    This  play  did  not  fit  the  parameters  of  this   grant.      The  city  offering  free  parking  is  not  innovation,  and  is  not   something  that  the  organization  itself  offers,  thus  does  not  apply.    No   partnerships  or  collaborations  of  any  kind  were  mentioned.    They  wished   that  more  artists  were  paid,  including  the  actors,  not  just  the  directorial   staff.  The  application  seemed  to  be  a  copy  and  paste  from  previous  years.     There  was  missing  detail,  such  as  the  list  patrons  and  the  work  samples,   which  were  ads  only,  rather  than  reviews  of  any  kind.    The  application   lacked  positive  and  engaging  writing,  and  focused  on  what  they  don’t  do   rather  than  what  they  do  do.  There  was  no  mention  of  engaging  new   audiences  or  new  ways  to  engage  within  the  community.    Competition   among  the  other  grants  was  stronger,  but  the  application  was  overall,  an   improvement  over  last  year.       2. Independent  Players:   a. The  application  was  negative  and  dismissive  of  the  criteria  and  the   application  itself.    There  are  other,  more  innovative  plays  being  included   in  the  season,  which  would  have  been  more  appropriate  to  use  for  the   grant.    Details  and  action  plans  were  missing  under  impact:  lumping   yourself  together  with  other  performance  groups  to  say  that  you  could   encourage  audiences  to  visit  local  businesses,  but  not  following  that  up   with  any  plans  of  action  or  detailing  the  possible  impact  of  that.    Also   missing  the  details  about  the  free  tickets:  to  whom  were  the  free  tickets   given,  and  based  on  what  criteria?    The  application  itself  lacked  creativity   and  focused  on  what  the  organization  is  not  doing,  rather  than  on  the   positive  things  that  the  organizations  are  doing.    There  were  also  no  work   samples  included,  which  was  part  of  the  application  and  should  not  have   to  be  requested.     3. Latino  Film  Fest:   a. The  application  referred  to  what  occurred  in  2016,  rather  than  what  was   to  happen  in  2017.    There  was  a  significant  amount  of  Chicago  impact   and  inclusion,  but  nothing  Elgin  specific,  including  the  effect  and  impact.     There  were  no  work  samples  included.    While  the  program  is  important   and  the  CAC  support  it,  the  application  was  incomplete,  and  for  that   reason  it  was  not  voted  on.         4. Soireé  Lyrique:     a. Most  of  the  content  for  the  application  was  for  2018,  not  2017.    The   events  seemed  to  be  more  appropriate  for  a  grant  in  2018.    There  were   details  missing:  How  will  the  organization  accomplish  the  specific   demographic  involvement  listed  under  innovation?    How  were  the   partnerships  accomplished?  Why  was  there  a  performance  in  Dundee,   and  how  did  the  Dundee  performance  help  Elgin.    Lots  of  statements  and   claims,  but  seemingly  no  documentation  or  facts  to  support  them.       5.   F. Other  Old  Business:  None.     G. New  Business:  None  brought.     H. Adjournment:  Motion  to  adjourn  made  by  Councilwoman  Powell.    Seconded  by  Commissioner  Hulin.   Approved  by  a  vote  of  9-­‐0